Top 2014: Canada versus the world
This month Olympic.ca will be revisiting the top Canadian sports moments of 2014.
Part of the fun of a “Year in Review” is highlighting great performances that may have gotten lost in the shuffle… especially in a year as busy as 2014.
While Canada’s winter sports stars may have (deservedly) been in the spotlight, the nation’s summer athletes were gearing up for the Pan Am and Olympic Games with impressive world championship results.
Gold
Mark de Jonge – Canoe/Kayak Sprint
With a world record en route to the world title in the K-1 200m, the consistent de Jonge improved upon his silver in 2013 which followed bronze at London 2012.
Catharine Pendrel – Mountain Bike
Multiple World Cup medals to go with her second career world title made 2014 a nice bounce back year for Pendrel.
Silver
Team Pursuit – Track Cycling
Just days after the close of Sochi 2014, the quartet of Laura Brown, Jasmin Glaesser, Allison Beveridge and Stephanie Roorda finished second to the powerhouse Brits.
Tory Nyhaug – BMX
The 22-year-old Nyhaug broke through with Canada’s first ever BMX world championship medal in the elite division.
Antoine Valois-Fortier – Judo
Ending another long drought, Valois-Fortier became the first Canadian judoka to win a world championship medal since 1999.
Lindsay Jennerich/Patricia Obee – Rowing
The lightweight double sculls crew added another world silver to the one they captured back in 2011.
Women’s Eight – Rowing
The crew of Cristy Nurse, Lisa Roman, Rosanne Deboef, Natalie Mastracci, Susanne Grainger, Christine Roper, Ashley Brzozowicz, Lauren Wilkinson and Lesley Thompson-Willie are steadily gaining ground on the Americans who are undefeated since 2006.
Rosie MacLennan – Trampoline
Just like she did in winning her Olympic and world titles, MacLennan again laid down the most difficult routine of the final to stand on the podium at the season’s biggest event for the fifth straight year.
Bronze
Ariane Fortin (right)
Ariane Fortin – Boxing
Fortin’s only loss of the tournament came in the semifinals to reigning Olympic champion Claressa Shields.
Jillian Gallays – Wrestling
In the new 53kg Olympic weight class, the only woman to defeat Gallays was three-time Olympic champion and 12-time world champion Saori Yoshida.
Honourable Mentions
With a fifth place finish, the Canadian women’s basketball team had its best world championship result since 1986.
On the strength of six straight wins, Canada’s men’s volleyball team finished a best-ever seventh at the world championships.
Ellie Black’s ninth place in the women’s individual all-around was a best-ever for Canada at the artistic gymnastics world championships.
Ellie Black
